“The true north strong and free.”
Ever since I was a little girl in elementary school, this has been my favourite line in the national anthem. This country where I was raised, where generations of my relatives were raised, has always been home to me. It is part of me. I am a proud Canadian and … [Read more...]

I was 7, maybe 8. Our usual sitter was busy that night so my parents had a neighbourhood boy, one I barely knew, babysit for my brother and I. My brother and I were watching TV downstairs when the babysitter, who was probably about 14 at the time, called me upstairs. Obediently, I went.
“Do you … [Read more...]

The Boy Scouts found themselves in the news again today. This time, the reports were thankfully free of scandal.
In a unanimous decision, the Boy Scouts Club of America’s board of directors has moved to begin allowing girls to join.
The decision won’t come into effect until 2018—when girls … [Read more...]

“It’s hot as Hell out.”
This seems to be how people have been greeting each other this week in Toronto. Pool owners and cottage goers may be loving this resurgence of summer heat, but not everyone is so happy with the heat wave.
Teachers are voicing valid concerns about the safety and … [Read more...]

“Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.” – Maya Angelou.
When I was little, my dad told me a story. His father, my grandfather, had fought in WWII, and though he rarely discussed his experiences there, it was clear my grandpa was deeply affected by it. My … [Read more...]

We're always worrying about our children. Whether it's their grades, their excessive screen-time, or their general health and wellbeing—it's every parent's prerogative to fret about their kids.
So when we learn about a new hazard that had probably never even occurred to us, it sends shivers down … [Read more...]

About a month ago, I pitched a blog to my editor about what it is like to live in the fastest growing community in Canada. Holiday season and parenthood have gotten in the way and it’s taken me longer to get around to it than I’d planned. Turns out that was a good thing.
Earlier this week, a … [Read more...]

It is every mother’s wish to have a full night's rest. But after the unthinkable happened—a frightening, near death experience that almost caused Monique Ruppel and her family their lives—this Canadian mother is incredibly grateful that her one-year-old daughter, Celia, woke her up.
In a post on … [Read more...]

It happens all the time: a company says or does something and the world cringes in unison. If it isn’t Zara and their racially insensitive t-shirts, it its Value Village selling “sexy” Halloween costumes for toddlers or Target selling sexist pyjamas for kids.
I am not sure why this continues to … [Read more...]

Step away from the pink razors, the sweet smelling shaving cream and the pink and red toys, ladies. Seems like we’ve been getting ripped off.
A new study by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs has found that products that come in both male and female versions will most often cost … [Read more...]